A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the Red Sea on Monday, just north of the area where crews are attempting to salvage a tanker loaded with oil and still ablaze after an earlier assault by the group, authorities said.
The attack marks the latest in a series of strikes by the Iranian-backed Houthis that have disrupted the flow of $1 trillion in goods passing through the Red Sea annually and halted some aid shipments to Sudan and Yemen. The group has targeted over 80 vessels with missiles and drones since Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza began in October.
Monday's incident involved two projectiles striking the vessel and a third explosion occurring nearby, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). "Damage control is underway," the UKMTO stated, adding that there were no casualties and the ship continued to its next destination.
Houthis claim that vessel attacks are Israel-related
The timing and coordinates provided by the UKMTO suggest the attacked vessel is the Panama-flagged oil tanker Blue Lagoon I, now traveling south through the Red Sea after departing from Russia's port of Ust-Luga with Russian-origin cargo. The Greek-based firm operating the ship could not be reached for comment.
While the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility, the group has previously delayed acknowledgments of such assaults. The rebels, who claim to target ships linked to Israel, the US, or the UK, have also attacked vessels with little or no connection to the conflict, including those bound for Iran.
Later on Monday, a Saudi-owned vessel was attacked in the Red Sea, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. It was unclear if the ship was attacked by Iran-aligned Houthi militants.